News

USSTRATCOM commander unveils new shield, mission, vision for command

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Kevin Allen
  • United States Strategic Command Public Affairs
OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE, Neb. --  Gen. Kevin Chilton, commander of U.S. Strategic Command, met with his Joint Functional Component commanders here April 23 and 24 and included the group in the unveiling of a new shield inlaid on the command building's floor.

The shield joins a patch of the former Strategic Air Command in welcoming visitors to the command's headquarters.

In introducing the shield, General Chilton took some time to talk about the importance of the SAC patch, emphasizing that SAC "was a critical component of the defense of the United States during the Cold War."

"It had a key role to play in the collapse of the Soviet Union... they were the nuclear sword and shield of this country for years," he said.

"We have bridged to U.S. Strategic Command and our mission areas and focuses have grown. When people walk into the strategic command building I want them to be appreciative of our heritage, but I also want them to honor and understand the importance of the mission set we have now, which is tremendously larger than it was in the day of SAC - and every bit, if not more, important as we look to the 21st Century."

The general then spoke about the positioning of the shield and its surroundings, pointing out that it's overlooked by portraits of Strategic Command Consultation Committee members. The committee is, "one of the greatest supporters of any organization you could want. They're going to keep watch over this, because we do (what we do) for the people of the United States, people like those (pictured) on the wall."

With a quick pull on the blue fabric covering the command's newest symbolization of its mission areas, General Chilton officially unveiled the shield. He then told a story about how the area should be used as a walkway.

"When I was in high school, they had something like this, and it was a big deal if you walked on it, but that isn't how we were going to treat it," he said. "You can walk on these patches... because if you look down between your feet, you get a good reminder of the pride we have in our global mission sets today and how it links us back to our great heritage."

The general presented the command's new mission and vision statements to his Joint Functional Component commanders during their visit to Offutt as well. Those statements will be publicly released when they become effective with the concurrence of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm. Mike Mullen.